Customer Reviews

Telemann - Orpheus / Trekel, Röschmann, Ziesak, Güra, Poulenard, Köhler, Kiehr, Jacobs

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It was a stroke of genius and a labor of love for Rene Jacobs to pore over thousands of yellow pages of old manuscrips in order to prove to the world that Telemann's Orpheus was not a pastiche of pieces from other works but an inventive interpolation of several musical styles (and even languages) in a single masterpiece. The result is this magnificent recording which you should not miss. I would say that this is the greatest Jacobs' achievement to date. His intelligent direction does the greatest justice to Telemann's ingenious musical characterization of the protagonists' actions and moods. Each language, for example, is associated with a particular mood (the opera is sung interchangeably in Italian, German and French). Musical instruments ably depict nature (e.g. the singing of birds) and drama of the unfolding events (e.g. dissonances accompanying Eurydice's death, or the lovely tune portending Orpheus's entry into Pluto's kingdom). The opera even has a couple of comical interludes, very tastefully performed here. Notably, despite the fact that this opera dates from 1728, the main role is given to a baryton, instead of a castrato or haute-contre as was the norm during the period. To me, this highlighted the psychological realism of Telemann's Orpheus. The cast of soloists here is very distinguished. Roman Trekel makes a marvelous Orpheus. His best aria is "Ach, Tod, ach susser Tod!" which he sings with perfect legato and controlled emotion. Dorothea Roschmann as Orasia is one of Jacobs' greatest recent talent discoveries. Her aria "C'est ma plus chere envie" is worthy to stand alongside the most celebrated soprano arias in the known repertory. Ruth Ziesak, Werner Gura, Hanno Muller-Brachmann, Maria Cristina Kiehr and Isabelle Poulenard make smaller, but nevertheless wonderful contributions. The only person I didn't like was Axel Kohler, a countertenor in the role of Ascalax. I think Jacobs "spoils" countertenors who, having gone through his hands, start sounding like Jacobs himself. I won't go into a meandering discussion of why I don't like Kohler or Jacobs, because it's a matter of taste: you might well like them. I like countertenors like David James (or hautes-contre like Mark Padmore), so if you know what those sound like you'll know what's "wrong" with Kohler. But, like I said, that's a matter of idiosyncratic preferences. That aside, this recording of Orpheus is absolutely beyond reproach.

This opera should be reissued. I was lucky to get a copy before it disappeared. A wonderful performance all around. I do like Rene Jacobs....he sang Gluck's Orpheus years ago with La Petite Bande when his own voice was in its prime.

... the recovery of Telemann's Opera seria "Orpheus" will be reaching New York:

The struggling New York City Opera, having departed from Lincoln Center, has announced that it will stage Telemann's "Orpheus" in a 600-seat theater next season:

Saturday, May 12, 2012 at 7:30pm

Tuesday, May 15, 2012 at 7:30pm

Thursday, May 17, 2012 at 7:30pm

Sunday, May 20, 2012 at 1:30pm

Start planning your trip to the Big Apple!. I've been studying the score and listening to a different CD of it, on DHM, with the 'L'Orfeo Barockorchester. It's a revelation, one of the best baroque opera seria compositions I've ever looked at or heard, big enough and original enough to force a re-evaluation of Telemann, especially in comparison to Handel. The music is joyously various and affective, and tightly fitted to the emotions of the arias, more so than any of Handel's or Hasse's operas. The story is 'broader' than the usual Orpheus myth; in fact, the chief character is Orasia, the Queen of Thebes, who causes Eurydice's death out of jealousy. That's Act 1. In Act 2, the usual descent to Hades and sad return. Then in Act 3, Orpheus refuses still to respond to Orasia's passion; she orders him butchered by the Bacchantes (that's part of the original myth), whereupon she suffers a collapse of remorse ... with a further surprise in the outcome.

With all due respect for Rene Jacobs and the Akademie für Alte Musik orchestra, the newer recording is better in ever way. It's artful enough to convince anybody of Telemann's plausibility as an opera composer. Dorothee Mields is vocally perfect, and perfectly in control of her voice, in the central role of Orasia. Orpheus is sung by a baritone, Markus Volpert; not only is Vopert exceptionally agile in his lower range, but also I confess that I relish having a male voice in the role of Orpheus for a change, instead of a countertenor, however virtuosic. This is a good opera for lovers of deeper voices; Orpheus's friend Eurimedes is sung, very well, by tenor Christian Zenker, and Pluto is sung with profundity by basso Reinhard Mayr. The smaller coloratura role of Euridiice is carried to the heights by Ulrike Hofbauer. This is effectively an Austrian cast and production, with generous orchestral support conducted by Michi Gaigg.

"Orpheus" was surely the most international opera of the 18th Century. The language of the recitativos and many of the arias is German, but several of the most passionate arias are sung in Italian or French, and one of the choruses is also sung in French! Likewise, the musical idiom seamlessly blends German counterpoint a la Bach with Italian and French mannerisms and rhythms. Alas, the North German audience was no longer as receptive to the Italian style as it had been in the heydays of the Hamburg Opera, three decades earlier; the Opera House was failing financially, audiences wanted only comedies, and "Orpheus" was hopelessly beyond their appreciation.

Telemann was very good at recitativo, and those wordy passages in this opera sound very much like full arioso. The instrumental writing is brilliant and subtle. The most innovative thing about the whole composition as a unified piece of music is Telemann's use of modulations, of different keys to fit the personae, and of a few 'harsh' keys to underscore the harshest emotions. Honestly, this opera exceeds my wildest hopes and expectations. If it gets any attention in New York, it could go "international" very quickly.

The singers on Rene Jacobs's discovery-recording were certainly no slouches. Röschmann, Ziesak, Güra, and Kiehr were baroque artists of the highest skill, and still are. But "historically informed' vocal technique has made strides in the last decade, as has sound-recording technology. Though I respect this CD greatly, I would recommend the newer interpretation without hesitation.

Orpheus is one the most powerfully devastating Greek myths. Its indomitable nature and the tragic consequences was conveyed into musical terms by Gluck ( the most widely known) or the superb Monteverdi's Orpheus.

But in honor to the truth and thanks to the unerring courtesy of a highly esteemed friend, last Friday, it was motive of huge satisfaction to find Teleman composing a memorable Opera about this legendary myth.

Rene Jacobs undertook the epic task this world premiere recording in 1998. A fabulous album that well deserves to be part of your collection.

This opera is exceptional! For one thing, it is tri-lingual - in French, German and Italian. No, I am not kidding! Telemann not only was a true internationalist vis-à-vis musical styles, he was clearly quite cool with his singers singing Italian-styled arias in Italian, French style arias in French and German in most other places. The result is actually quite delightful.

On the musical front, Telemann showcases a range of musical styles. Some of this opera sounds like it was lifted from an opera by André Campra or Rameau. Some of it is in an elegant Italian Opera Buffa and Opera Seria styles and some of it sounds like proto-Mozart, in the Galante style.

Telemann was a great composer, that's for sure!

The cast of this opera is excellent and many of them also appear in Jacobs' other excellent recording of Reinhard Keiser's Croesus. Dorothea Röschmann, Roman Trekel and Werner Güra appear on both recordings. The wonderful and beautiful Isabelle Poulenard and Maria Cristina Kiehr appear in Orpheus and the role of Eurydice is sung by Ruth Ziesak, who is new to me. Countertenor, Axel Köhler sings the minor role of Ascalax and, although I don't mind his voice, a better countertenor could have been chosen.

The RIAS-Kammerchor and the Akademie für Alte Musik Berlin are in fine form and the entire opera is a joy to listen to from start to finish. René Jacobs is to be commended for bringing this delightful opera to us.